Thank You for Smoking Film Critique

Matthew Nichenko

Thank You for Smoking Film Critique

Where to start on this widely overlooked masterpiece. The first thing that is amazing about Thank You for Smoking is the silent star studded cast put together by Jason Reitman. Scene by scene as new people are introduced you continue to be amazed that this many well-known actors and actresses are in this movie.

Apart from the cast, the other man thing that sticks out too is how well written this movie is. Maybe it is because I love to argue but the lines in this movie are one of a kind. How can someone make cigarettes actually sound somewhat well to anyone? Well this movie creatively and subconsciously causes you to question who the good guys are and who the bad guys in the battle of cigarettes are. The best example that I have for this movie is in the opening scene when Nick Naylor is before an audience and being pounded by anti-smoking companies and when asked how he feels about a kid drying from lung cancer Nick replies with a stroke of genius, “I would hate for Tommy to die cause we would be losing a customer, however, the lung cancer guys are praying for Tommy to die to give them a reason to get a pay check every week.” This movie is pure brilliant and a must see for everyone.

New Moon Film Critique

Matthew Nichenko

New Moon Film Critique

For all the hype over the year after Twilight was released New Moon truly did drop the damn ball. I don’t know which was worse, “Edward” with his cold, pale, scrawny body or “Jacobs” underage overly swole body. This movie was nothing put a PG-13 porno for kids. I never felt so pathetic as I stood in line being forced to listen to girls try and convince their boyfriend’s that this movie was going to be great but we all know what the boyfriends were thinking “HELL NO IT WON’T.”

I had to do everything I could to keep myself from laughing when Jacob took off his shirt and I swear for that moment all the oxygen in the room was sucked out as every girl gasped for air. I mean come on, is all that necessary? This was nothing but a poorly written love story with hardly any action. I thought this also has something to do with a war between vampires and werewolves? The most action I saw was two vampires fighting over a girl who is way too ugly to be given the main role in this movie. And last buy not least I must say that is I hear another word about how hot Edward is I will kill myself. The guy wants to suck the blood out of your neck until your dead. Someone please explain to me how this is attractive.

Twilight Film Critique

Matthew Nichenko

Twilight Film Critique

So after listening to every girl in America talk about how amazing this movie was and how some people were seeing it as many as 10 times I figured that I would give Twilight a chance to win me over. The only character that I liked in the movie was Kellen Lutz who was eventually killed of by the most over-rated guy on the face of the planet, Robert Patterson. The story line is decent but only if you’re a 13 year old pre-puberty girl. If it wasn’t for the action filled baseball scene or the big fight scene at the end I think I would of died during this movie.

I do think that the cast was the perfect fit for this movie since they all are, in their own way, misfits that are allowed to pretty much be themselves. The only bright spot for this movie would have to be the soundtrack. This might possibly be the only reason why I stayed awake. If I had know that the soundtrack was so good I would have saved my money on the ticket and gone and bought the soundtrack and most likely would have better feelings for the movie in general. Hopefully the next three movies will pick up the slack for the failure of the first.

Old Dogs Film Critique

Matthew Nichenko

Old Dogs Film Critique

Walt Becker’s 2009 comedy Old Dogs probably has let me down the most out of all the movies that I have seen lately. From the previews I had a lot of high hopes that this movie would be good with both John Travolta and Robin Williams leading the way. However, I didn’t like how Robin Williams played the more serious of the two while the wild and funny role was played by John Travolta. Williams has always been the funnier of the two by far and it really hurt the movie that he wasn’t chosen for the role in this movie.

The movie tried to help add to the comedy by adding other comedy stars like Matt Dillon, Bernie Mac, and Seth Green to the cast but the small role playing of the characters couldn’t do enough to help the movie come out of the slumps. Maybe kids like this movie more than I did since it felt like it was directed more towards getting the attention of little kids before the adults but I wasn’t a fan of it. With so much potential this movie is a major let down in every aspect of the movie from the story line to the jokes. One of the biggest disappoints of 2009.

Serendipity Film Critique

Matthew Nichenko

Serendipity Film Critique

A movie written by Marc Klein in 2001 is the story based on the motto that if something is meant to be that it will happen in time no matter what. Serendipity’s definition is an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident. I liked how the movie was about the peoples that randomly meet one day while shopping and have an amazing night together only to remember they both have significant others and can’t be together.

I thought it was interested how Sara had always based her life on the idea of serendipity while Jonathon thought it was crazy and then after the two meet their lies completely swap. Sara find the idea to be foolish while Jonathon beings to live by the motto. It was fitting that the movie took place in December during the always romantic time of Christmas. The fact that is takes place in New York helps to add to the amazement that these two people meet by chance in the largest city in the world and who just so happen to be perfect matches for each other.

The cast of not quite established yet very talented actors and actresses significantly helps the movie become believable. The supporting cast helps give this movie the extra little bit that it needs in order to become a great love story.

Love Actually Film Critique

Matthew Nichenko

Love Actually Film Critique

In the 2003 romance comedy director and writer Randy Curtis does an excellent job bringing together a well balanced cast of actors and actresses to help bring to life the vision he has for his film. This film shows the ugly yet beautiful side of love that most movies don’t show. Love Actually is the story of the lives of 8 different people that in some way all know each other and how all of the find love. The characters go range from young to old, gay to straight, married to widow. I thought the writing of this movie was amazing. The characters went from their normal life to realizing that their life is empty to finding that one person then to doing whatever it takes to making sure that the one person they truly do loves stays in their life.

While being a romance, the movie didn’t forget to add some comedy and parody. Billy-Bob Thorton plays the president of the United States who is married and goes to England to discuss business and future plans. While on the trip the president is seen kissing the Prime Minister’s secretary showing the pathetic tendencies of the American population as a whole. Also, Colin travels to American in search of finding women who find him attractive. At a bar in Wyoming, Colin meets 3 “American beauties” who end up sleeping with him; again poking fun at the American way.

I thought it was a smart move that the movie took place in the month of December leading up to Christmas day which is considered one of the most widely romantic days in the world. This helped to set the mood for the movie from the opening scene with the remake of a classic song.

Independence Day Film Critique

Matthew Nichenko

Independence Day Film Critique

Released in 1996, Independence Day is one of the most decorated movies of all time with one Oscar, twenty-six other awards, and 21 nominations. From start to finish Independence Day gives a realistic scenario of how the world would react to the invasion of aliens here on earth. I loved how the movie was basically set up to finally end with the defeat of the aliens on Independence Day to signify a world-wide declaration of freedom no longer making it only an American holiday. The movie is well balanced with the little comedy added by Will Smith to help lighten the mood of the movie while still keeping it serious.

This helped to swallow me into the movie to where I felt like my life was depending on the outcome of the final mission. A movie that can capture me into forgetting that I’m just watching is the sign of great writing and acting. The only flaw to the movie was the abilities and the knowledge the aliens were giving. I don’t understand how the aliens could have a force field around every single ship and we still manage to somehow defeat this, this should have been left out or at least tweaked a tad. I also didn’t like how just by watching one the ships sly that Will Smith is capable of flying the ship into outer space with no training. However, I do realize I am just being picky and do admit it amazing and a must see.